Manchester shopkeeper fights off armed robbers with shoe

A "heroic" shopkeeper fought off robbers armed with knives using only his shoe.

By News agencies

3:30PM BST 16 Sep 2013

Police praised the unnamed worker as they released CCTV of the raid showing him confronting the hooded, knife-wielding thieves.

Despite being outnumbered and stabbed in the arm, the shopkeeper can be seen whipping his shoe off and forcing them back towards the door of the service station.

The robbers eventually flee empty-handed – being chased onto the forecourt by the worker wearing only one shoe.

Police hope the CCTV will prompt information about the raid, which happened at around 1.20am on Saturday, 14 September at Mercury Service Station on Manchester Road in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester.

Detectives are appealing for help to trace a woman who was seen walking into the store seconds before the incident.

The victim, who also picked up a glass jar to defend himself during the attack, suffered two puncture wounds to his arm and later needed 12 stitches.

Detective Constable Malcolm Cheetham from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This man's heroic actions meant that these thieves got away empty handed, but for his trouble he was wounded. We will do all we can to find the men responsible.

"We are appealing for witnesses but in particular we need to hear from the woman who walked in only moments before but didn't stick around to give the police her account – probably because she was so shaken up.

"We need to find out everything that she may have heard or seen, including before the robbery. We urge her to get in touch as soon as possible."

Both of the offenders were black men. The man with the knife was about 6ft tall, of medium build and in his early to mid 20s. His accomplice was about 5ft 9in tall and of medium build.